We are outraged at management’s outsourcing of Midwest pilots’ jobs in blatant violation of our collective bargaining agreement.
In early September,
management announced its plan to replace half of the Midwest pilots with pilots from another airline as part of a deal with Republic Airways Holdings.
Midwest pilots have already made significant sacrifices to help our airline survive.
- In early 2003, Midwest pilots responded to management’s request for relief because of increased fuel costs by granting immediate reductions in their pay.
- In 2003, Midwest pilots gave concessions worth over $6 million a year to help keep our airline out of bankruptcy—concessionary provisions under which we are still working today.
- This summer, hundreds of Midwest pilots learned they would be furloughed when management announced a restructuring plan and parked half of our fleet.
|
The Midwest Airlines pilots take their message and their plea to the residents of Milwaukee
with a quarter-page ad in the Sunday Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. |
Despite these huge sacrifices, management holds our jobs hostage to extract outrageous and excessive concessions!
Management’s latest scheme to outsource Midwest Airlines jobs means that almost 300 of the some 400 pilots who were employed before TPG Capital/Northwest Airlines purchased Midwest earlier this year will lose their jobs.
In June, management demanded significant concessions from the pilot group in conjunction with its restructuring plan. Under management’s plan, pilots who still held their position as captains would suffer 45% pay cuts, with those who were demoted to first officers losing up to 75% of their pay.
Last month, as Midwest pilots prepared to begin contract negotiations and address their contractual needs and concerns, management signaled its intent to use the bargaining process to continue to demand drastic, draconian concessions from the pilots.
When it announced its subcontracting plan, management said that furloughed Midwest pilots might get their jobs back, but only if they buckle under to management’s economic demands.
Midwest pilots have put management on notice that we will fight to protect our careers. We will not stand for this threat to the futures of our families. Midwest passengers and employees deserve better. We will not accept a cheap substitute.
We demand that Midwest pilots and Midwest flight attendants fly Midwest aircraft and Midwest passengers.